Lake Champlain set records this month for being higher than ever before in July, and the lake may rise higher if we get more rain, which is forecasted.

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Some of the lake's shorelines already have minor flooding. It's not a critical threat yet, but emergency workers say waterfront property owners would benefit from preparing before flooding becomes an emergency.

"Preparation is key. And I always say don't wait on the public. You need to take care of yourself and do the best you can for yourself," said Clinton County Emergency Services Assistant Director Kelly Donoghue.

If the lake does continue to rise, it will at least be gradual. But Donoghue says one threat can strike with little warning. It has him concerned.

"South winds. And when the lake level is high, especially at the flood level, that could have some impact on potential shoreline damage," he said.

The higher the lake gets, the more damage waves can cause.As far as the lake rising higher, scientists say if the rain keeps coming the way it has, its only a matter of time.

Still, they stress there is a big difference between this year and the flooding of 2011 when the lake hit its all-time recorded high level of 103.2 feet. There were back to back months of record rainfall in April and May, on top of a very heavy snowpack that contributed significantly to the runoff that filled the lake."This year without the great big snow pack, the timing was much more comfortable for us. We're not having that horrendous flood we had in 2011," said Lake Champlain Basin Program Director Bill Howland.

He says judging by the past 10 or 15 years, climate change is starting to give us more rain, more flooding and a higher lake."(It's) something we need to get more used to. It is exactly what climate change projections indicate."

Experts also say rains have washed heavy debris into Lake Champlain. Boaters have already reported running into heavy objects capable of damaging a hull. Mariners should be careful.

Emergency workers say if the lake gets high enough to cover roadways, those areas can become dangerous to drive on. Washouts can form and roads can be undermined and collapse under the weight of a car.